Spartanburg, S.C.- After the USC Upstate Eye Opener the Converse University women's cross country team finished as the top NCAA Division II school. The men's cross country team was the second-ranked NCAA Division II school nine points behind Erskine.
 
The first runner to cross the finish line for Converse was Lauren Beatty (18:29); followed by Kamille Dixon (19:10), Ruth Spijker (19:21), Ashley Sosa (19:49), Anne van den Broek (20:22), Bayley Robinson (20:38), Paisley Stepp (21:01), and Froukje Mons (21:04). The first runner to cross the finish line for the men's team was Luis Rios Brena (26:30); followed by Alain Flores (26:53), Dre'Quan Guyton (27:28), Jaxon Wright (28:19), Nathan Lucy (28:21), Spenser Kirby (28:59), Aiden Ayala (29:31), Zackery Carver (29:45), and Sam Bagwell (30:04).
 
Women's Notes:

• The team finished sixth with a score of 205.
• Beatty finished 29th overall with a time of 18:29 setting a new personal record and running a full minute faster than last year's Eye Opener where she ran a 19:29. Her 18:29 also puts Beatty second on the Converse all-time list for the 5k distance.
• Dixon finished 53rd overall with a time of 19:10, also setting a new PR. That time puts Dixon fourth all-time on the Converse record books.
• Spijker finished 56th overall with a time of 19:21 setting a new personal course record from last year's Eye Opener where she ran a 20:37.
• Sosa finished 74th overall with a time of 19:49.
• Van den Broek rounded out the top 5, finishing 92nd overall with a time of 20:22 setting a new PR in her collegiate debut.
• Robinson finished 98th overall with a time of 20:38, which was also a new PR, compared to her 21:53 at last year's Eye Opener.
• Freshman Stepp and Mons rounded out the team, running times of 21:01 and 21:04 respectively.

 
Mens Notes:

• The team finished eighth with a score of 269.
• Rios Brena finished 46th overall with a time of 26:30, where he ran 29:49 in the same race just last year.
• Flores finished 61st with a time of 26:53, setting a new PR in his collegiate debut. Flores's time is also the third fastest 8k in school history.
• Guyton finished 73rd with a time of 27:28. Also setting a new PR, over a minute faster than his 28:34 from last year's Eye Opener. Guyton is now fifth all-time on the Converse record books.
• Wright and Lucy rounded out the top 5, finishing 91st and 92nd respectively with times of 28:19 and 28:21. Lucy's time was also a new PR.
• Kirby finished with a time of 28:59 setting a new PR from last year's Eye Opener where he ran a 31:24.
• Sophomores Ayala, Carver, and Bagwell finished with a times of 29:31, 29:45 and 30:04.

Coach Mark Rennix had this to say; "This was a great starting point for both the men and women. There were a ton of positives to take away but there is still work to be done. We're excited to see what the next few weeks have in store, but we are right where we need to be for this time of year."
 
The next competition for the Converse cross country team is the Converse Kick-Off on Saturday, September 16^th, on their home course, Milliken Arboretum. 

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